


Imaginary Land

by triste



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Drabble Collection, Fluff, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-22
Updated: 2012-11-22
Packaged: 2017-11-19 06:49:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/570408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/triste/pseuds/triste
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jounouchi can't argue with Bakura when he's making perfect sense.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One

Title: Imaginary Land  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh  
Pairing: Bakura/Jounouchi  
Rating: PG  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

~~

Jounouchi was pacing again. Since Bakura’s sitting room wasn’t that big to start with, Jounouchi didn’t have much room to move around in. Bakura watched from the couch as Jounouchi took seven steps to the left, paused and stood still long enough to tap his foot three times before taking seven steps to the right and repeating the process all over again.

“It’s almost five,” he said, casting an anxious glance at the clock on the wall. “They should be arriving at the cinema by now.” He stopped pacing at last but only to start wringing his hands. “Maybe I ought to call Shizuka to make sure everything is okay.”

Bakura gave his most reassuring smile. “I’m sure she’s just fine, Jounouchi-kun. You’re worrying too much.”

Jounouchi’s face darkened. “I can’t worry enough when my one and only little sister is on a date with Honda.” Apparently done with wringing his hands for now, he clenched them into fists. “I don’t even want to think about the kind of things they could be getting up to while I’m not around to supervise.”

“It’s the same for Shizuka-chan, you know,” Bakura pointed out. “I wonder if she knows about what her big brother does when he comes home from one of his dates.”

“As far as Shizuka is concerned,” Jounouchi said, narrowing his eyes sternly, “all we ever do is hold hands and skip through meadows while rainbows sprout in the background and tiny bluebirds fly over our heads.”

The mental image was an entertaining one, not to mention completely false, but Bakura held his tongue. He knew how hard Jounouchi tried to protect his younger sibling from anything he deemed to be harmful or threatening, including his own romantic relationship.

Bakura didn’t mind that much. In fact, he found it rather endearing, although the same could not be said of Jounouchi’s overly anxious behaviour.

When Jounouchi went back to his pacing, Bakura decided it was time to take action. Jounouchi needed a distraction, and Bakura was perfectly willing to provide one.

“Jounouchi-kun,” he said, putting on his most inviting tone. Jounouchi didn’t even hear him. Bakura sighed and tried once more. “Katsuya.” That got Jounouchi’s attention, and he glanced at Bakura in surprise. Bakura patted the space beside him on the couch. “Have a seat. You’re going to wear a hole in the floor if you keep this up.”

Jounouchi hesitated, gave one last look at the clock and then sat down, his expression apologetic. “Sorry. I guess I’m being kind of annoying.”

“It can’t be helped,” Bakura told him. “Shizuka-chan is out on her first date. It’s only natural for you to feel overprotective.” He rested a hand over one of Jounouchi’s fists and gently uncurled it. “She’s going to watch a movie, have a nice meal afterwards and Honda-kun will be a perfect gentleman the whole evening.”

“So I hope,” Jounouchi sighed.

“Then stop being so worried,” Bakura ordered. “You need to relax.” He leaned in closer, lowering his voice to a sultry whisper. “I could help take your mind off things for a while.”

Jounouchi shivered. “I don’t know,” he said, uncertain but not entirely unaffected.

“But you’re so tense,” said Bakura, letting go of Jounouchi’s hand and sliding a palm over his thigh. “That can easily be taken care of.”

Jounouchi swallowed. “You have a point.”

Bakura nodded, happy that Jounouchi was at last coming to agree with his way of thinking. “You’ve barely taken your eyes off the clock since you arrived. That’s why time seems to be passing by so slowly. It’s like that saying, the one about how a watched pot never boils. Staring at clocks won’t make the hands move any faster.”

Jounouchi grinned wryly. “I can’t argue with you when you’re making perfect sense.”

It was true. He’d never been able to win in a verbal battle. Besides, Bakura had a tendency of twisting words to suit his own purposes.

He’d successfully managed to catch Jounouchi’s interest. All Bakura needed to do now was keep it.

He leaned into to kiss Jounouchi, and Jounouchi let him. The press of Bakura’s lips was light and teasing, and left Jounouchi disappointed on purpose when he drew away.

“Come on,” Jounouchi said, pouting. “You can do better than that.”

His reaction was just as Bakura had predicted, and all the invitation he needed to kiss Jounouchi again, this time holding nothing back. Jounouchi’s dazed expression was very satisfying indeed, and he was breathless as he spoke.

“See? I knew you wouldn’t let me down.”

Bakura responded with another kiss, one that would drive any thoughts Jounouchi still had of Honda and his sister far away, preferably to the imaginary land where people frolicked in meadows with rainbows and bluebirds.

 

End.


	2. Two

Title: Underhanded  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh  
Pairing: Bakura/Jounouchi  
Rating: PG  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

~~

Jounouchi is used to not being recognised, so it’s nothing new when Yugi gets stopped out in the street one afternoon while the two of them are hanging out together. The group of kids clamouring him ignore Jounouchi completely as they beg Yugi for his autograph, for him to duel them or to just get his opinion on their decks, so Jounouchi backs away and leaves Yugi to it.

It’d be nice to have some of attention for himself, he thinks wistfully, but when he sees Yugi looking flustered and harassed over trying to accommodate so many people at the same time, he guesses anonymity isn’t so bad after all.

That’s why it comes as something of a surprise when he finds a piece of paper being pushed under his nose.

“Would you be so kind as to sign this for me?”

Jounouchi’s heart leaps in spite of his best efforts to remain cool and unimpressed, at least until he sees who’s doing the asking, then the disappointment sinks in all over again.

“Jeez, Bakura,” he says. “You shouldn’t make fun of your friends like that.”

Bakura merely smiles and waves the paper in front of Jounouchi’s face. “If you please,” he prompts.

Jounouchi rolls his eyes, pretending he’s being put-upon, but secretly flattered by the request. It’s only fair for him to give Bakura what he wants, he supposes, especially since he asked so nicely and all.

The feeling soon disappears when he suddenly notices the slip of paper he’s given his name to has been folded in half. Now very suspicious, he opens it up to see that it says (in Bakura’s characteristic neat and elegant handwriting) ‘IOU for one free meal at Burger World’.

Jounouchi raises an eyebrow, unsure whether to be amused by Bakura’s cheekiness or exasperated by it. “You sneaky little–”

“A promise is a promise,” Bakura interrupts brightly, retrieving the IOU he so cunningly disguised and tucking it away safe and sound inside the pocket of his shirt. “It would be terribly unfair of you to break it.”

“Just like it was pretty underhanded of you to trick me?” Jounouchi counters. Bakura continues to smile innocently, his ‘butter wouldn’t melt in my mouth’ expression making Jounouchi sigh. “Fine, fine, I get it. My treat, okay?”

Bakura seems pleased with the outcome, but he at least has the good grace to say thank you. Even if his methods are questionable, his manners are never anything less than impeccable.

 

End.


	3. Three

Title: Triumphant  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh  
Pairing: Bakura/Jounouchi  
Rating: PG  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

~~

Jounouchi’s face pales when Bakura shows him the latest addition to his DVD collection. It’s a horror title, naturally, and one that Bakura has wanted to see for a few months now. Jounouchi refuses to share his enthusiasm.

“Don’t you have any comedy stuff?” he asks. “Sci-fi? Action? Martial arts? Heck, I’d rather watch one of Anzu’s chick flicks.” He turns to Bakura, appealing to him with his most mournful expression. “Tell me you have anything that isn’t related to the supernatural or paranormal.”

“I’m afraid not,” Bakura replies cheerfully, ignoring Jounouchi’s pleading puppy eyes and giving him an affectionate pat on the head. “Honestly, Jounouchi-kun, you can be such a scaredy-cat sometimes.”

Jounouchi would never usually let an insult to his manliness slide, but whenever the subjects of ghosts or the occult crops up, he has no qualms about letting his fear of them be known. It’s cute, in Bakura’s opinion, and while he knows it’s probably mean of him to make Jounouchi sit through something he’d prefer not to witness, his reactions are almost as much fun to watch as the movie itself.

“Okay,” Jounouchi says slowly, drawing out the word as though it might make Bakura forget about the showing if only he put enough effort into distracting him, “what is this one actually about?”

“Zombies,” says Bakura. Jounouchi blanches. They’re one of his biggest weaknesses.

“I see. That means blood and guts, huh?”

Bakura nods. “Lots of blood and guts.”

On top of being afraid of anything that can’t be explained by science, Jounouchi is also notoriously squeamish. Splatter films are his second least favourite after horror. He can’t even watch medical documentaries without feeling queasy.

At last Jounouchi sighs in defeat. Bakura smiles in encouragement. “Cheer up. It’s not all doom and gloom. According to the reviews, there are supposed to be some funny moments.”

Jounouchi doesn’t look convinced. “Of people dying in creatively gory ways?” he says.

Bakura chuckles. “I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough.”

He and Jounouchi take opposite sides of the couch, Bakura making himself comfortable while Jounouchi steels himself, his posture rigid.

It’s how their movie nights always start off, but Bakura knows it’s only a matter of time before Jounouchi begins to inch closer, trying to be inconspicuous about it, unable to tear his gaze away from the TV even though he can’t stand to watch what’s on it.

Before long he’s sitting right beside Bakura, gripping tightly onto his arm and not even bothering continuing his earlier attempts of being subtle. That’s when Bakura turns his attention to Jounouchi, watching the way he bites his lip in anxiety when one of the characters unwittingly stumbles toward their inevitable doom. Bakura can feel him tense, hears him hold his breath only to jump and gasp when a group of zombies make their kill.

Jounouchi was right. The ways in which the cast get bumped off one after the other are indeed inventive. It’s been a while since Bakura saw anything with so many decapitated heads. The way people lose their various internal organs is also very realistic. No wonder the make-up team won awards for their feature. Bakura much prefers their work to computerised special effects, but, lifelike or not, Jounouchi obviously couldn’t care less about the way the film was made.

“Look,” he whispers, half awed, half repulsed, pointing a shaky finger at the screen, “the main guy is using that zombie’s intestines as a rope. How disgusting!”

“It’s better than falling off the cliff to his death,” Bakura argues.

“What, so it’s better for him to climb back up and get eaten alive?”

“As the central character, he’s destined to survive. That’s just how it works.”

But Bakura is wrong, as it turns out, and the main character ends up getting killed accidentally by one of his own allies ten minutes later. It’s a nice twist, but one that Jounouchi does not appreciate.

“Great,” he groans. “Now there’s one less person to root for.”

Bakura doesn’t mind. It takes guts to kill off a main character, no pun intended, and even more nerve to wipe out the entire cast and leave the bad guys victorious. It’s an ending that leaves a bad taste in Jounouchi’s mouth afterwards, and he doesn’t hesitate to let Bakura hear about it.

“What the hell was that?” he demands as the credits roll. “I can’t believe everyone died. Whoever came up with the idea for this movie was either dumb or twisted.”

“Really?” says Bakura. “I quite liked it. I thought it was original. It’s always more interesting when evil triumphs.”

“But what about the universal themes of justice, friendship and love? There’s something really wrong when the hero doesn’t get to save the day.”

They spend the next half hour discussing the movie, and Jounouchi recovers long enough to drink the tea Bakura makes him before bed (though he grimaces and says that his stomach is still feeling somewhat weak after being exposed to all that gore).

Bakura merely gives him a “there, there” as he sets the futon out for his guest to sleep in, letting Jounouchi get settled before reaching for the light switch.

“Are you really going to turn that off?” Jounouchi asks. The puppy eyes are back, and they’re as endearing as ever.

“Well, of course,” says Bakura. “Otherwise we won’t get any sleep.”

Jounouchi fidgets. His expression is awkward. Bakura can tell he wants to say something, but doesn’t. Bakura has a pretty good idea what Jounouchi wants, and although he feels bad for being so mean again, he flicks the switch anyway and plunges the room into darkness.

There’s nothing but silence for a few moments as Bakura gets into bed, and he waits patiently for Jounouchi to speak. When he does, his voice is small and almost childlike.

“Hey, Bakura,” he says quietly.

“Yes, Jounouchi-kun?”

“Can I...” Jounouchi trails off, clears his throat and tries again. “Can I sleep with you?”

Finally rewarded, Bakura pulls the covers back and shifting over to make room for Jounouchi. “Go on, then.” He can just about make out Jounouchi’s grin of relief as he slips in next to him.

“Sorry,” Jounouchi says, his voice still hushed. “That stupid film is going to give me nightmares.”

“It’s okay,” Bakura tells him, reaching out and taking Jounouchi’s hand in his. “Here,” he adds, squeezing. “If we fall asleep like this, we’ll share the same dream. Even if you have a bad one, I’ll be there to watch over you. You won’t have to handle it alone.”

Jounouchi doesn’t respond for a while, but when he does, he sounds embarrassed. “Thanks,” he mumbles, squeezing back. “I’d appreciate the company.”

Within minutes he’s drifted off and snoring lightly. Bakura smiles, triumphant. It always feels good when everything goes according to plan.

 

End.


	4. Four

Title: Synonymous  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh  
Pairing: Bakura/Jounouchi  
Rating: PG  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

~~

It was almost springtime. The change of seasons would mark the start of a new school year. The days were getting longer and warmer. There was something in the air that seemed to be affecting everyone. Honda and Otogi were no exception. Jounouchi was convinced the coming of spring had made them even more obsessive in their battle over who would win the heart of his little sister.

Jounouchi sighed, only half listening to their noisy argument. Honda was busy shouting something about how he would be the first to go on a date with Shizuka once school had let out, only for Otogi to say he’d arranged a meeting with her way back during winter break.

It was difficult for Jounouchi to concentrate when they were busy yelling at each other like that. He wondered why they never got tired of fighting. Shizuka thought it was cute. Jounouchi didn’t understand it himself, but his sister found it flattering to be pursued by not just one, but two potential suitors. Had he been the one in Shizuka’s position, he would have considered it annoying, but as long as Shizuka wasn’t too bothered by the attention, there was no need for him to step in and put a stop to things.

Even so, there was nothing to keep him from carefully monitoring the situation, as any protective big brother would. There was no harm involved as long as Honda and Otogi continued to treat Shizuka like a princess. If they dared to give her anything less than their full respect, Jounouchi wouldn’t hesitate in beating them both up.

In an effort to distract himself from their bickering, Jounouchi’s gaze wandered to where Yugi and Anzu were sitting in another corner of the classroom. They were huddled close together, Yugi talking animatedly, with Anzu giggling whenever he made a joke.

There was no doubt about it. Spring was definitely on the way. It was the only reason Jounouchi could think of for everyone getting so lovey-dovey all of a sudden.

Jounouchi gave another sigh. Unlike his friends, the date he had to look forward to was the one with his textbook. He’d failed his last English test and was due to retake another at the end of the week. Now he was busy trying to cram vocabulary into his head while everyone else was free to do whatever they wanted.

Ordinarily he would have asked Anzu for help. She was good at English. She had to be, seeing as her goal was to study dance in America. She was also a good teacher who didn’t mind tutoring Jounouchi on his weaker subjects too much as long as he wasn’t a nuisance about it.

He couldn’t pester her this time though, not when she and Yugi were obviously having so much fun. It wasn’t like Anzu would turn him down. Jounouchi just didn’t want to break up the cosy little atmosphere the two of them had going on. It would be better for them to spend their time hanging out during vacation. Besides, being the third wheel was awkward.

That left Jounouchi to muddle through on his own. He tried to be positive about it. Retakes were easier than the original exams. Hopefully it wouldn’t take as much work to pass this time.

Maybe it was because of the noise, or maybe it was because Jounouchi couldn’t help feeling at least slightly depressed because everyone but him was enjoying themselves, but none of the words on the page would stick. He should have spent his lunch break someplace quieter, like the library. Then he might have succeeded in remembering what he needed to.

A hand on his shoulder made Jounouchi jump, and he lifted his gaze to find Bakura smiling down at him.

“You okay?” asked Bakura. “You look kind of frazzled.”

Jounouchi made a face. “That’s because vocabulary is a pain in the ass.”

Bakura laughed. “It was a hard test, wasn’t it? Don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll do just fine on the retake.”

Jounouchi hoped so. He really needed to pass, but he wasn’t getting anywhere with his studying. It looked like he’d be staying behind at the end of the day if he wanted to accomplish anything. That always left him feeling down. After all, the best thing about coming to school was the going home part afterwards.

“If you like,” Bakura continued, his tone vaguely hesitant, “I could help. I might not be the best tutor, but I did manage to get a halfway decent score. That must count for something, right?”

Jounouchi raised an eyebrow. “Halfway decent?” he echoed.

“Ninety-nine per cent.”

Jounouchi’s jaw dropped. He should have known better than to take Bakura’s modesty at face value. Only missing one mark out of a hundred would have been enough to make anyone boast, but not Bakura.

Then Bakura’s expression turned sheepish. “I would have gotten full marks if only I hadn’t made a spelling mistake. How embarrassing.”

That settled it. Jounouchi grasped Bakura’s hands in his and bowed his head low. “Oh, great master,” he said dramatically, “please bestow upon me the power to pass my exam. I need your strength and knowledge. Name your price and I’ll pay it.”

“You’re exaggerating,” Bakura told him, but he looked pleased anyway.

“I’m serious,” Jounouchi insisted. “I have to give you something in return for your kindness, right?”

Bakura thought it over for a moment. “I wouldn’t say no if you treated me to a meal. How does that sound?”

Jounouchi nodded. It seemed fair enough. He had about enough spare change on him to cover the cost of a couple bowls of ramen. “Great! You’ve got yourself a deal.” That was when he realised he was still holding Bakura’s hands. He let go quickly, laughing to cover up his awkwardness. Bakura didn’t appear to be bothered at all, but then he was hard to read.

“Very well,” he said, pulling a chair over to Jounouchi’s desk and sitting opposite him. “Let’s begin.”

Thanks to Bakura’s assistance, Jounouchi felt like he had made real progress. He also discovered part of the secret to Bakura’s success. Tools like flash cards were particularly useful when it came to memorising vocabulary, and made learning much more fun than simply poring over black and white text. Introducing more and more new words, or as Bakura put it, ‘levelling up,’ made it seem almost like a game, and Jounouchi surprised himself by how good his memory recall was whenever Bakura quizzed him at random intervals.

Stringing together proper sentences that made sense wasn’t nearly as daunting when Bakura explained the grammar behind them, and although Jounouchi’s pronunciation still left rather a lot to be desired, at least the important things remained lodged firmly in his mind.

It was dark once they’d finished. School finished at three-thirty and they’d stayed until after 6pm. Jounouchi could have gone on longer if Bakura’s stomach hadn’t interrupted their study session with a loud growl.

“Sorry about that,” he said, going a bit red.

“No worries,” Jounouchi assured him. “We need to get going anyway. I didn’t know it was this late.”

“Time flies when you’re having fun,” Bakura agreed.

He was right. It had been enjoyable. It wasn’t the word Jounouchi usually found synonymous with studying, but Bakura had been the one to change that.

It was strange. Whenever Jounouchi was with Bakura, it was always as a part of the rest of the group. Now that he thought about it, this was the first time they’d hung out together, just the two of them.

He wondered how Bakura felt about that. Even though they were friends, and had been for a while, Bakura was still something of an outsider, and Jounouchi’s best friend, the one he’d been closest to, was Yugi.

Bakura was reserved by nature, unobtrusive and often unnoticeable. He preferred to hover in the background rather than force himself into the forefront. Any existence like that had to be a lonely one. Jounouchi wished he’d noticed before, but when he remembered the events that had taken place earlier that afternoon, and feeling out of place, he thought he could understand Bakura a little better now.

One fact Jounouchi soon find out about Bakura, however, was that he was not a cheap date. A couple of bowls at around two hundred yen at a ramen stand would have been affordable, but Jounouchi had underestimated Bakura’s appetite. He was already requesting his third bowl while Jounouchi was only halfway through his first.

Jounouchi couldn’t decide whether it was funny or scary the way Bakura could pack away so much food in such a short space of time, but then he remembered his wallet and how empty it was going to become and settled on it being more tragic, at least for him.

Bakura was certainly happy as Jounouchi paid the bill. “That hit the spot,” he sighed, patting his stomach in contentment. “Thanks for the meal, Jounouchi-kun.”

“You’re a monster,” Jounouchi said miserably. “I can’t believe you got through five whole bowls of ramen while I only had one.”

“I’m a growing boy,” Bakura protested.

“So am I!”

“If I don’t eat at least this much, I won’t have any energy. That’s normal, isn’t it? In fact, I wouldn’t mind eating more...”

Jounouchi groaned. How on earth did Bakura stay so skinny with an appetite like his? He wasn’t athletic. What did he need all that energy for in the first place? It was a mystery.

“Well?” Bakura prompted. “Are you more confident now about the retake?”

“I figure I’ll pass, fingers crossed,” said Jounouchi. “Thanks for helping me out.”

“You’re very welcome,” Bakura replied. “The company was good, the food was good... We should get together more often.”

“And let you bankrupt me in the process?” Jounouchi asked, only half-joking.

“I’ll pay next time. Tell you what, I’ll buy you katsudon the night before your exam. Then you’ll be guaranteed success the following day.” Bakura pumped his fist. “Aim for victory!”

Jounouchi would have rolled his eyes, but Bakura’s enthusiasm was contagious. He really felt like he could pull it off, and it was all thanks to Bakura and his monstrous appetite.

 

End.


	5. Five

Title: Reason  
Author: Triste  
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh  
Pairing: Bakura/Jounouchi  
Rating: PG  
Status: Complete  
Disclaimer: Not mine

~~

The duel was Bakura’s idea. The only way to stop Jounouchi from wanting to run a mile at the mere mention of his occult deck, in Bakura’s opinion, would be to desensitise him to it.

“After all,” he reasoned, “there is nothing to fear but fear itself.”

Jounouchi didn’t look terribly convinced, but he eventually agreed one afternoon at school during lunch break.

It shouldn’t have been too difficult. They were playing the old fashioned way, with only their cards. There were no duel disks or holograms to enhance the experience, or to amplify Jounouchi’s deep rooted fear of ghosts, ghouls and zombies.

“See?” said Bakura, smiling helpfully at Jounouchi as he played the Headless Knight in attack mode. “They’re not so scary once you get used to them.”

Jounouchi shuddered. He was being very careful not to stare too long at the monster that Bakura had played. “I guess.”

“If anything,” Bakura continued, “some of them are even cute.”

“Cute,” Jounouchi echoed, his expression highly sceptical. “Right.”

Bakura nodded. He’d meant it, too. Kuriboh and Scapegoat weren’t the only creatures with a tendency to make girls coo and squeal. Some of the occult monsters could be equally endearing. Most people just didn’t understand their appeal.

Suddenly it was Bakura’s turn to shiver. Jounouchi was quick to notice the change in his demeanour.

“What’s up?” he asked, pleased to take his attention away from the duel for the moment.

“It’s the other Yugi-kun.” Bakura laughed awkwardly. “I can feel him boring a hole into the back of my head with his eyes. It’s rather off-putting.”

Jounouchi glanced over Bakura’s shoulder to see that he was right. Yugi’s other self was observing them intently from his seat at the other end of the classroom, Anzu and Honda chatting away by his side. Jounouchi grinned and waved at him. The other Yugi did not wave back.

Jounouchi sighed in disappointment. He could have used the moral support.

“He must be in a bad mood,” said Bakura, not turning around and see for himself whether this was the case.

Jounouchi shrugged. “He doesn’t seem too angry.”

“Still, we must be cautious.” Bakura smiled mischievously. “The jealous wife is watching.” He sighed and reached over to pat Jounouchi on the shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Jounouchi-kun. Our romance is doomed to remain forbidden.”

Jounouchi flailed, flustered, his face bright red as Bakura started laughing again. “Don’t even joke about something like that!” he said.

“It’s funny because it’s true,” Bakura claimed.

“You’re just making stuff up.”

“I’m telling it as I see it.”

The other Yugi was probably biding his time and waiting for the opportunity to leap in and defend Jounouchi’s honour, not that Jounouchi was in need of being rescued, but Bakura couldn’t help finding it amusing anyway.

“We all know how overprotective the other Yugi-kun can be when it comes to you,” he told Jounouchi. “I’m sure he’s worried.”

“Well, he shouldn’t be.” Jounouchi glared at the Headless Knight like he was trying to force his embarrassment onto it before sending out his own monster to attack. “Your desensitising plan is working. There’s no use being scared if I’m aiming to win.”

“That’s the spirit.” Bakura gave Jounouchi a poke. “Get it? Spirit?”

Jounouchi groaned. The joke had been a lame one, but it got the reaction Bakura was after. Teasing him was just too much fun. Teasing the other Yugi was more dangerous, but no less entertaining.

The other Yugi didn’t like people getting too close to Jounouchi. He didn’t like people attempting to take away what he considered to be his. Although Bakura had no such intentions, it didn’t stop him from borrowing Jounouchi for a while.

“What’s he doing now?” asked Bakura.

“Scowling.” Jounouchi made a face. “I think he’s getting mad. Maybe we should put this duel on hold.”

Bakura pouted. “Surely I can keep you a little longer? The other Yugi-kun can cope without you around for once. Besides, it’s good for you to battle different people. It’ll give you more experience.”

“If you say so.”

There was no harm in playing. Jounouchi was dense, so he never realised when Bakura flirted with him. The other Yugi did, however, and he obviously didn’t appreciate Bakura getting too close.

Jounouchi glanced at Bakura, puzzled by his smile. “You seem to be enjoying yourself,” he noted.

“I always do when I’m with you,” said Bakura.

“Now you’re just making fun of me.”

“Why would I do that? I was being completely honest.”

Bakura had been telling the truth. He really did enjoy being with Jounouchi. It wasn’t his fault if Jounouchi chose not to believe him for whatever reason. It also wasn’t his fault if the other Yugi tended to be a little too possessive for his own good sometimes. Bakura liked it when people held his interest, and Jounouchi in particular was never boring to be around.

For the time being, at least, Bakura had no intention of losing his source of amusement.

 

End.


End file.
